Puppies At Seven Weeks

Time flies! Here are some new photos of the gang :)

Pups Are Getting Fluffier - Six Weeks

Time flies and the little pups are like stuffed fluffy toys, except they move quickly!

It's been a busy week for us. I'm trying to get them to only eat solid food and to let Rosie recover a bit, their teeth are growing, lots of visitors coming to play with them and I've been writing my Coton guide book for my buyers. I've decided to do a little instruction booklet as quite a few families who have contacted me have not had dogs before. The puppies have also had their first car ride this week. So not a lot of time for photos, but here's one I took today.

The Puppies Are Growing Up Fast - Five Weeks Photos

The pups are growing so fast! Their teeth are coming so this photo session was a lot of fun as they were trying to chew their way out of the basket. The unfortunate consequence of teething is tear staining. But it will pass. 

They are also getting better at toilet training, they are 80% going on the paper pad and not on the rug underneath.  I'm proud of my little babies!

They are also playing more and are very interested in the world around them. And we are getting visitors very often, so the pups can get their socialisation. And cuddles!

The Pups At Four Weeks

They move and they move quickly! They started to play and to bounce around. And to nibble on my hands - think their teeth must be growing. It's sooo cute!
So I took a photo of them sleeping in a pile up. With and without flash. They are getting fluffier!

Fluffy Got Groomed

Fluffy came back from the groomers yesterday looking very cute! I thought I'd share this photo for people who like to keep their Cotons in a shorter puppy cut.
You still need to brush your dog when in a puppy cut, but it's much more manageable and quicker. Plus some dogs, like my Fluffy, are very active and like having shorter hair. I think it's still possible to enjoy this lovely breed without having to worry so much if you'll be able to keep up with the grooming.
Fluffy will probably get another haircut in four months time, in the meantime I will trim his nails when needed and cut around eyes and bum. I think he looks great, and still looks like a puppy at the mature age of five :)

Feeding Your Coton De Tulear

Puppies are eating their raw food. My puppies will come with raw food starter pack.

There are many different food that you can give your Coton, it is really up to your convenience and the preference of the dog.

My dogs really LOVE their food. They are not fussy in the slightest, but it doesn't mean all Cotons are the same. But I do feed raw (or BARF) with occasional cooked meats like liver, both of which are ranked as high value foods so I never had a dog refuse the food. If they do, then it normally means they are unwell in some way.

What I like about raw feeding is that their poo is smaller, less stinky, teeth are cleaner and the dogs develop a good appetite and that's especially good for training as biddable dogs are much easier to train.

If you decide to feed raw, that doesn't mean giving them just meat, their diet requires bones and innards and some fruit and vegetables. Raw bones are good for exercising their jaws and cleaning the teeth. Make sure you supervise your dog as some can get greedy and swallow the whole bone.

I like to buy prepared meals from companies that use fresh human grade meats with clearly listed ingredients. It's easy to keep those meals in the freezer and just take them out when needed. Those meals should contain ground bones, innards and meat together with some vegetables and oils. I like to feed chicken, rabbit and lamb, pork and beef not so much. I give pork and beef chews but not very often. When I give liver, I give tiny pieces as it's very rich and can give your pup a funky bum!

Most people feed their dogs kibble or wet and canned food. Try and get a good quality kibble that gives your dog firm stools that are not too huge - if they are then that usually means the kibble contains many fillers of no nutritional value. Some people go for high protein kibble, but I think that high protein can be actually bad. Oh on that note, most people think that raw meat is all protein but that's not true! Meat and bones contain protein, but also minerals, vitamins, fats, carbohydrates and water.
I would avoid fillers in kibble, such as maize, but go instead for rice and potatoes.

Remember that kibble is a fairly new invention and a huge money making industry so choose wisely!

If you want to cook for your dog, then opt for meats and vegetables instead of pasta and deep fried foods. Very greasy and fatty foods can give your dog pancreatitis, which in best case can mean the special diet for your dog and in the worst case it can be fatal. Avoid giving your dog cooked chicken bones are they are brittle and can seriously puncture the intestines.

Whatever you feed your dog note the condition of their coat, eyes and poo. Those are usually the best indicator of their health.

The Puppies Are Three Weeks Old

The babies are growing very quickly, here are some new photos :)